"Until you have held a tiny puppy in your arms as it kissed your face with slobbery puppy breath and felt the love;
Until you have held an injured or severely ill cat in your arms and felt his pain;
and until you have looked into the eyes of a tired aging senior pet and felt her wisdom,
You will never understand the life of a rescuer.
We find beauty in the most incomprehensible places and the otherwise homely faces.
It is our gift to see beyond the dirt, terror, sadness and defeat and find the true soul that lies within.
We are Rescue."
 

     In response to an epidemic of homeless and abandoned pets, the Humane Organization for the Protection and Education for Animals (HOPE for Animals) began approximately thirteen years ago in Thibodaux, Louisiana as a chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.  It was later reorganized as HOPE for Animals, Incorporated in April of 1994, and became a federal tax exempt 501 (c) 3 organization in 1998.

     Since its inception, HOPE for Animals has worked to develop awareness and interest in both animal cruelty issues and overpopulation problems in Lafourche Parish.  The organization continues to promote these issues through the local print and broadcast media and through educational campaigns targeted at the Lafourche Parish youth.  HOPE for Animals hosts several events each year, all of which promote the humane treatment of animals.

     Through unparalleled hard work and determination, members of HOPE for Animals have developed a wide-reaching network of temporary shelters for stray and abandoned animals.  It houses hundreds of animals each year in the Lafourche, Terrebonne, and Assumption Parish areas.  In addition, the group has successfully set up an adoption system, one which finds good homes for many of the same stray and abandoned animals it feeds and cares for.

     Unfortunately, HOPE is unable to bear the entire costs of caring for and feeding the animals it takes in.  Many of the stray and abandoned animals are often injured or ill, and treatment of these animals is often expensive and labor-intensive.

     Through generous donations from private individuals, organizations like the Lorio Foundation, and from area businesses, HOPE can continue its operations each year.  Several local veterinarians also offer their services at a significant discount, helping keep animal care costs low.  The organization is tremendously grateful for the assistance it receives; successful operation would be literally impossible without it.

     Currently, HOPE's meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month at West Thibodaux Fire Station on the corner of Cedar St. and Notre Dame St. near St. Genevieve Church at 6:30 pm.  All meetings are open to the public, and anyone interested in animal welfare in our area is more than welcome to attend!

HOPE for Animals, Inc. 
P.O. Box 1341
Thibodaux, Louisiana 70302
non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization